


A rought outline for a Trilogy sequal to get a happy ending

by CPuff



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Also I've now made myself VERY ANGRY that this game doesn't exist DAMMIT!!!!!, Concept, F/M, Fix-It, Happy Ending, Here I go anyway, Hire me Bioware and let's make this happen, I want to play it, Is it legal to post rough outines on this site?, Post ME3, Rough outline, because I need one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-12-15 06:22:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11800236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CPuff/pseuds/CPuff
Summary: Sadly, I have 0 time to devote to this story in any proper written form. Also, I want to sit here and pretend this is a real game instead of trying to write it myself.But if you just need a headcanon for a "how do you fix ME3 and have Garrus and Shepard be happy in a way that makes sense and is within the original Trilogy's themes?" here you go. (or at least enough so that you can ignore the silly parts hopefully)





	A rought outline for a Trilogy sequal to get a happy ending

**Author's Note:**

> This is a rough outline! it is not written as complete prose, or script, or even that comprehensibly worked out in some points. (hell, the bad guys don't even have a name here).  
> What this is, however, is a rough outline for an entire story concept in which you not only get Shepard back, reunite the galaxy, and have Shakarian, but also ways in which the concepts of the original game in terms of dealing with diplomatic relationships and deeper questions could be implemented.
> 
> Sadly, I have 0 time to devote to this story in any proper written form. Also, I want to sit here and pretend this is a real game instead of trying to write it myself.
> 
> But if you just need a headcanon for a "how do you fix ME3 and have Garrus and Shepard be happy in a way that makes sense and is within the original Trilogy's themes?" here you go. (or at least enough so that you can ignore the silly parts hopefully)
> 
> Originally this was just a tumblr post, but I liked the idea enough to catalogue it here and I'm thirsty for acknowledgement. so... enjoy. Hopefully? (sorry it's not a proper story)

Hundreds (thousands? Considering Asari) of years go by after the end of ME3. Things settle down into normality. People settle down into their now new existence, cut off from the rest of the galaxy. Eventually they forget how to be homesick. People become happy. Shepard goes from being a hero to being a pietist.

Then something goes wrong. Something threatens what is now the known galaxy once again. The galaxy, settled and peaceful, is struck by the sudden threat and unprepared in their almost utopia. But they fight back, and they manage to stand their ground.

However things are not going well. The known galaxy simply does not know how to handle this threat. And although they’ve managed to dig in their heels, the leaders are doubtful as to how long they can last before this threat starts pushing hard and they all get trampled. This goes on for years, each side inching back and forth against each other.

During this time, a radical idea is suggested. Although outlawed for hundreds if not almost a 1000 years by this stage, it is suggested that what the Known galaxy needs is its savior once again, and the proposal is made to clone Commander Shepard so that she may lead them against this new threat, as someone who has not only seen and defeated the reapers, a much greater threat, but as someone who by now has an almost religious connotation to her. The idea is denied.

However, not long after, a heavy blow is struck by the threat against the known galaxy. The leaders find themselves facing total destruction as a very real possibility. In desperation, the cloning idea is reconsidered, and eventually approved.

The cloning process does not take long. Despite the illegal nature of genetic engineering, the loophole that is Omni-gel had been refined again and again over the centuries, and the simple structure of the medical gel helps smooth over the next step of proper genetic engineering. off the record, a few unscrupulous scientists are enlisted as well, who have had more hands on experience with genetics. As for Shepard, things were a bit trickier. Having been lost during the last stand, it takes time before someone is contact by the being known as “The Shadow Broker”. The Broker offers the leaders a small box, supposedly made by Dr Tsoni, a scientist and comrade of Commander Shepard. It seems she had foreseen a possibility as this, and had stored a small sample of DNA from Commander Shepard before she was killed. The sample is old and despite preservation efforts, deteriorated in some parts. But after a brilliant suggestion to patch up the missing DNA code with the DNA sample from the Lazarus Project by the agency known as Cerberus from around the same time, a working DNA code is compiled, and not long after, an adult clone of Shepard is grown.

Reportedly the first thing the clone asks upon awakening is “Did it work?”

The Shepard Clone is a perfect copy of the former commander as far as genetics go. However, accurate accounts of her personality are hard to come by. And hero worship had all but stripped her of her humanity in cultural memory. The idea of Shepard being a mortal human with opinions and emotions comes as a difficult reality to the leaders. Nevertheless, she is filled in on the current threat and brought up to speed. Due to her genetic heritage, she is treated somewhere between a tool and a religious icon, neither of which she seems to like. But she recognises the threat, and despite misgivings about her current existence, agrees something needs to be done.

She jokingly states “That’s the second time I’ve died and had to come back. Third time I’m gonna demand a free coffee.”

The rest of the “Game” takes place after this as Shepard travels across the known galaxy, trying to piece together a plan against the threat which has already taken deep root n the Known Galaxy. After encountering some scientists and theorists and the usual group of kooks and weirdoes for teammates, an idea is formed to somehow reunite the Galaxy as one once more. An impossible task considering the destruction of the Mass Effect Relays during the Reaper War. However, Shepard mentions meeting the creators of the Reapers once, and considers they might have the knowledge needed to construct something similar to the relays. The only problem is, how to contact them again?

The story ensues, meetings are made with new friends and new enemies, the peaceful and borderline utopian society ends up being more of a setback than a boon as Shepard discovers, with the Galaxy residence not only being unequiped and inexperienced when facing this threat, but also hostile towards the very concept of the threat existing, and anyone that challenges their world view as they’ve come to enjoy it, including those people directly trying to save them from it.

On top of this, Shepards status as a clone is problematic for many higher-ups, and fractures start to appear in the Known Galaxy’s group of leaders. on TOP of this, Shepards near religious status also becomes problematic, as two groups slowly start to form around her return. The first being religious zealots, eager to owrship her as a reincarnated diety, and the OTHER is a group of religious zealots denouncing her as a false prophet who will doom them all.

Both have “security” forces. which become problematic.

One thing the leaders and scientists did not account for when creating Shepard was her strong emotional bonds to her former team-mates. Not only is her emotional scars from losing friends during the Reaper War still strong, but now its expounded upon by her loss of her friends who survived the war but are now long dead. She starts becoming prone to moodiness and brooding.

It is at this point that the scientists she recruited early on, the same scientist who suggested the Reuniting the galaxy idea and who worked on Shepards cloning project, suggests privately to Shepard that perhaps, due to the unique situation, he might make a suggestion. He mentions Tsoni’s box, saying that although the box did contain Shepard’s DNA and Tsoni’s obvious foresight that it might be needed some day, there were also personal affects in the box, seemingly addressed to Shepard herself. On top of this, there were also instructions to any geneticists planning to do what they did in cloning Shepard. He says it was not in his department, but he feels that, logically, if Shepard’s emotional state is compromised it might affect her resolve, which in turns hurts the Galaxy’s chances of survival. And he feels perhaps Tsoni’s message may help. (this dude is obviously a Salarian. Or whatever it is Salarians have become by now)

a mission is launched to retrieve the box, off the record as it is currently in custody by the Galactic leaders. However, Shepard has friends on the inside, and they help her and some squadmates slip in to retrieve it from the facilities.

They retrieve the box, and upon reading its contents, both addressed to her and to the geneticists, Shepard makes a shocking discovery; Liara it seems, was a VERY good Shadow Broker. But an even better friend. When she compiled the box for future generations should they ever need it, she had been approached by Garrus who pretty much kicked her door down and demanded she take a DNA sample from him and include it too. It seems there had been an argument that lasted several days of back and forth messaging and Garrus periodically showing up to shout at her. Eventually, Garrus managed to win her over to the idea, although Liara does not disclose what he eventually said that convinced her. The instructions to the geneticists tell them it is imperative to Shepard’s success in whatever it is they need her for that the turian sample also be cloned. She states they can ignore this advice if they want, but doing so would greatly diminish Shepard’s ability to fight their battles for them, and ignoring Liara is a good way to doom them all.  
After some searching Shepard and her squad locate a different facility where the second cloning process would have taken place.

Shepard is obviously angered that this has been kept from her. She is furious that Liara’s instructions were ignored, she is furious that Liara is no longer with her to support her, and she is furious at the thought that Liara’s instructions may have been ignored completely and there would be nothing to find.

However, again her scientist by-now-friend recommends giving it a shot. As he’s mostly concerned with surviving all this and figures any unorthodox means to keep him and the rest of the galaxy alive is perfectly ok no matter how weird it may sound. (this guy was also obviously one of the more unscrupulous scientists hired to work on the Shepard Clone project)

Another mission where Shepard and crew infiltrate the second facility. The mission is tense and Shepard is emotional compared to her usual steely resolve (although as usual only her friends would really notice the difference). However, it seems that the geneticists did follow Liara’s instructions, and Shepard finds Garrus locked up in the facility, patiently waiting for her. He apparently had no worries that if he waiting long enough she’d eventually show up guns blazing to come find him. It’s a difficult reunion, being in the middle of a mission, but Shepard and squad manage to smuggle Garrus out and onboard Shepard’s ship.

A more personal and emotional reunion happens in private.

The Garrus that joins Shepard is a Garrus that lived past the Reaper War. It’s a Garrus that is familiar, but a little sadder. But at the same time, whatever extra sadness he carries, seems to fuel his devotion and happiness just to be near Shepard again. It’s an intensity in affection, but being completely alone in this future galaxy, its the companionship Shepard needs. Together, the two of them manage to heal both their wounds by being together. Shepard’s wounds of existentialism and her questionable humanity, and Garrus as a grieving lover in a peaceful world where everyone else was happy and content but him.

Garrus is also helpful in filling in gaps in Shepard’s memories she suffers due to the DNA gaps filled with her Lazarus DNA, which was before the end of ME3. Garrus does not like talking about it very much, but he talks anyway.

At some point during the adventure Shepard asks Garrus what he said to convince Liara. He shrugs and jokes “That you’d never make it without me around.” he then softens and corrects himself. “Actually, what I really told her was that there is no Shepard without Vakarian. And after the whole reaper mess… it was clear to me there was no Vakarian without Shepard either. Not really.”

The “game” goes on. Shepard gets in trouble with the galactic leaders for breaking rules like she always does. She fights religious zealots. She patches up diplomacies that have broken over time. She breaks physics to try and find the creators of the Reapers and THEN by building a new Relay.

The religious zealots on both sides eventually join forces somehow. Possibly those seeing Shepard as a false prophet have decided she IS a diety, but one of destruction, and the religious zealots who already believe she is a diety agreeing. They need to be dealt with AS WELL as the outside threat.

After many battles, missions, recruitment, close calls, diplomacy missions, digging up the past, questioning Utopia vs Imperfect survival, What it means to be “human” etc etc we find out the “outside threat” is, in fact, coming from within the Galaxy. It is not an outside threat at all, but a part of the fracture galaxy that has become war-like, and eager to absorb and “unite” the rest of the galaxy under it. Much like Shepard is trying to do… but the “evil” way.

big fights, big missions blah blah blah and eventually, in the end, Shepard and her team are victorious.

This time however, she survives and Garrus survives and they live to see the Galaxy reuniting, slowly, as they construct new relays.

At the very end, Shepard tells Garrus she feels guilty. She wonders if Shepard 1 resents her for surviving this time. That it may be better if she had died during this mission too, and that perhaps it was the fate of every Shepard to come, save, and then die. And if she has somehow broken the very idea of “Shepard” by daring to still be there after the end.

Garrus comments that he remembers being Garrus 1, unlike her. And Garrus 1 was pissed off that he didn’t get to survive with Shepard beside him. He also comments that “Garrus 1 is probably sitting at the bar and yelling down “Shut up and live happily ever after already!” over his drink.” and that he’s pretty sure Shepard 1 is sitting right beside him,

The end.

(P.S. hire me, Bioware.)


End file.
